San Cristobal airport is the start point for this itinerary. After checking through 'immigration', you will be met and transferred a short distance to the quayside in San Cristobal's main town, Puerto Moreno Barquerizo. A quick panga ride and you will be able to step up onto Eco Galaxy for a quick orientation, reception, welcome drink and lunch onboard your new home.

Your destination for the afternoon will be the island of Los Lobos.

Lobos Island is a small islet separated from San Cristobal by a narrow channel, forming a sheltered bay where sea lion pups play in tidal pools. Despite its small size, the island is surprisingly packed with wildlife, especially with "lobos marinos", the Spanish name for sea lions. Groups of sea lions will welcome you at the landing spot, but as you walk a few steps inland, male frigatebirds displaying their inflated red balloons will be perched on the bushes and trees. A small colony of blue footed boobies, which often nest right on the trail, will give you the opportunity to observe their famous courtship dance.

Snorkel: This is a great snorkeling location as the water are usually calm and the sea lions often play with divers to show off their swimming skills. Sea turtles and stingrays are often seen resting in the sandy bottoms.

SANTA FE: Wet landing, activities for this day: hiking, swimming and snorkeling.

With 24 Km2 and 60 meters of height above sea level, Santa Fe is an almost the centre point of the Galapagos & a unique place of visit. The bay is often turquoise in colour, protected by a natural barrier of rocks and from you can appreciate colonies of seals and hawks flying over. It is home of one of the two species of land iguana whose main food are the leaves and fruits of the large and thick cactus. Crabs, nocturnal herons, marine iguanas, cucuves and land doves are often spootted. The Bay is excellent place to swim and to do snorkeling. Marine tortoises, rays, sea lions and tropical fishes are a regular sight underwater.

SOUTH PLAZAS is reached after a sea crossing. South Plaza is one of two small islands created by land uplift. It is a very beautiful island, with many land iguanas, marine iguanas and a cliff with excellent seabird activity. Nazca boobies and blue-footed boobies both nest here; whilst red-billed Tropicbirds swoop over the sea and close overhead. Approximately 1,000 sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) are located on south side of South Plaza.

NORTH SEYMOUR: This island is home for large colonies of both magnificent and great frigatebirds and you can see them displaying their red balloons to attract a female. Blue-footed boobies nest in the ground and perform their famous dance in the open areas, while swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Land iguanas are common inland while their marine cousins bask in the rocks by the sea, close to sea lions, which often like to body surf in the waves. 

Snorkel: North Seymour provides some excellent and protected snorkeling. Underwater, alongside the island edge, you will find a cliff made up of boulders and coral where tropical fish and eels mix with the odd shark. The cliff drops down to a sandy bottom at about 7m, above which you might see larger fish and stingrays.

MOSQUERA ISLET: Mosquera is mostly a barren sand bar with some rocky areas and scattered salt-resistant plants. You can walk along the beach and enjoy seeing playful sea lion pups surfing the waves and having a great time in the tide pools. Look for endemic lava gulls which are often seen flying over the beach in the search of food.

Snorkel: If the waves are not too big you can snorkel at the northern tip of the island or at one of the small beaches in the sheltered side.

DARWIN BAY: Genovesa is a favorite island for birdwatchers as it is home for very large colonies of seabirds. From the minute you set foot at the beach you will be amazed by the noise of hundreds of red-footed boobies, gulls and frigatebirds flying over your heads, perched in the bushes or nesting on the sandy terrain. The trail is an ultimate wildlife experience as there are animals everywhere; sea lions and marine iguanas near the sea; night herons, lava & swallow tailed gulls, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds and many more species inland.  

Snorkel: The bay offers several places to snorkel; from deep waters along the cliffs across the bay, to shallow waters by the beach. In either case, there are many fish to see and great chances of seeing sharks, rays and sea lions.

EL BARRANCO: El Barranco is located in the southern part of Darwin Bay at Genovesa Island. The cliffs face the sea are made of very fragile fractured lava, making it the ideal place for storm petrel to build their colonies. This consequently attracts an important population of short-eared owls which prey on the nesting birds. Red-footed and Nazca boobies are abundant along the trail. At the base of the cliffs you can see Galapagos fur seals resting in shaded areas, as well as several species of seabirds.

Snorkel: You can snorkel along the cliffs where there are many fish and great chances of seeing sharks, rays and sea lions.

A bus will take you to the highlands stopping along the way at one of the reserves to visit the lush highland forests where you will look for Galapagos Giant tortoises in their natural environment. This is the best place in the Galapagos to see these gentle giants (reaching over 300 kg / 600 pounds!) casually grazing and resting in freshwater ponds. This is also home for a great diversity of birds rarely found at the lowlands, including finches (tree, woodpecker and vegetarian finches), flycatchers and several species of water birds. You will visit a lava tunnel (depend on the itinerary) and learn how these extraordinary formations where created by ancient volcanic eruptions.

Arrive Baltra airport where your naturalist guide will greet you. 

Your first experience of the Galapagos will be the Charles Darwin Station, which is located just outside the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. To get there, you will travel overland across Baltra, then across the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz, where you will drive from the dry side of the island, over its volcanic peaks and down through its tropical south to the coast.

The Charles Darwin Station is a nonprofit organization which has been working for decades together with the Galapagos National Park to preserve the biodiversity of these unique islands. During this visit you will learn about the projects that both institutions carry together to protect the native species and eradicate the invasive ones which are threatening the Galapagos environment. One of the most important and emblematic projects has been reproducing giant tortoises in captivity. The visit is mostly outdoors in a beautiful dry native forest with giant cactus and many other interesting native plants. It is also a fantastic place to find several endemic Darwin finches, as well as flycatchers and mockingbirds.

AM MORENO POINT

Moreno Point is a magical place with extensive lava fields which look lifeless at first sight. Once inland, scattered brackish lagoons form oasis of life where you can find flamingos, gallinules, ducks and herons. Along the shore we will look for penguins, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, oystercatchers and other shore birds.

Snorkel: You can snorkel here with opportunities to see sea turtles, cormorants and many species of fish. Look carefully in the long seaweeds and you might find a sea horse.

PM: ELIZABETH BAY

Elizabeth Bay is a beautiful sheltered bay in the central western side of Isabela Island, surrounded by large mangroves and barren lava fields. There is no trail here so you will take a dinghy tour to explore many channels, pools and coves teeming with life. This is one of the best locations in the islands to see Galapagos penguins, but don't expect to see thousands of them, as the entire population of the islands is only about 3.000. Flightless cormorants also nest in the area and blue-footed boobies and pelicans often fish in these shallow and rich waters. Rays and sea turtles are also very abundant.

AM: URBINA BAY

Urbina Bay is known for a dramatic uplif that happened here during the 1950s. A large portion of the coast was pushed up, exposing many hectares of previously submerged land. Look carefully along the trail and you will find small shells and corals - proof that the area was underwater more than sixty years ago. The trail will give the opportunity to see land iguanas and, during certain seasons, giant tortoises. Galapagos hawks nest in the area and are often seen flying or perched on the trees.

Snorkel: You can snorkel from the beach in search of sea turtles, cormorants and penguins. Fish are also abundant in the area.

PM: TAGUS COVE

Tagus Cove is one of the places Charles Darwin visited during his exploration of the Galapagos islands. A trail will take you through a dry Palo Santo forests where you can see Darwin finches and mockingbirds. You will get great views of Darwin's lake and the large volcanos of northern Isabela.

A boat tour along the shore will give you chances to see penguins, cormorants, marine iguanas and a very unique species: the Galapagos martin, a small endemic bird which is one of the most endangered species on the island.

Snorkel: The nutrient-rich waters around Tagus Cove attracts a lot of sea turtles and a great diversity of fish; but also penguins, who feast on large schools of anchovies. It is common to see cormorants underwater as they chase fish through the reef.

AM: ESPINOZA POINT

Located at the base of an imposing volcano (the most active in the Galapagos islands), this site is one of the jewels of the Galapagos National Park. As soon as you disembark you will be surrounded by hundreds of marine iguanas, as this is the largest colony for the species. Sea lions bask in the beaches while their pups play in tide pools. Along the shore you are likely to see flightless cormorants, which are restricted to the western areas of the archipelago. Surrounded by cold plankton-rich waters, Punta Espinosa is home for an array of species, including herons, pelicans, oystercatchers, sea turtles, shorebird and many more. Look up in the mangroves as Galapagos hawks often perch to look for their prey.

Snorkel: The nutrient-rich waters around Punta Espinosa attracts great numbers and diversity of fish and sea turtles.  Seaweeds are also abundant, making this place the best for seeing marine iguanas feeding underwater.  Following a cormorant underwater as it chases fish through the reef is one on the most amazing snorkel experiences you may have on your trip. Note: waters are cooler in this part of the Galapagos.

PM: VICENTE ROCA POINT

Surrounded by some of the tallest cliffs in the Galapagos, Vicente Roca point is a great location to observe spectacular landscapes and interesting volcanic features. There is no trail here but you will take a dinghy tour along the shore to get a closer view of pelicans, flightless cormorants, sea turtles, boobies, Galapagos fur seal and marine iguanas. The area is also known to be a good location for whales and dolphins.

Snorkel: This site is popular for scuba divers, but also great for snorkeling. In the cove you can look for sea turtles, penguins, sea lions, cormorants, rays and many different species of fish. Look for fan corals, sponges and other invertebrates growing on the walls.

PUERTO EGAS

Despite its name, there is no "port" at Puerto Egas, but you might see a few remains of the last attempts to colonize the island during the 60's.  The trail goes along the coastline which is rich in wildlife, with marine iguanas basking in the sun everywhere, Galapagos sea lions, herons, oystercatchers and many shorebirds. At the end of the trail an area called "the grottos" is home for a small colony of  endemic Galapagos fur seal; much more difficult to see at close range than its cousin.  As recently as 2019, land iguanas where re-introduced to the area, so look around for these impressive reptiles which where extinct from Santiago for over a century.  

Snorkel: You can snorkel from the beach and explore an area of rocky bottoms which is excellent for fish, turtles and potentially reef sharks. Often, sea lions are also present and are happy to interact with swimmers.

RABIDA ISLAND

Rabida is a small island famous for its reddish lava rocks (rich in iron) which gives it a unique look. The beach is also red and hosts a small colony of sea lions. There is a small salt water lagoon where we will see ducks and stilts and sometimes flamingos. The trail will take you inland to get beautiful views of the beach and the lagoon. Look for Darwin finches, flycatchers and mockingbirds. In the cliffs along the coast you can find Nazca & blue-footed boobies, brown noddy, herons and the two species of sea lions: Galapagos and fur seals.

Snorkel: You can snorkel from the beach and explore a sheltered rocky area, which is excellent for fish, sea lions and reef sharks. Look at the high diversity of small invertebrates attached to the vertical walls.The visitor site is located on the east coast of Rabida Island, consisting of a red sand beach, a coastal lagoon behind the beach, and a loop trail. The approximate distance of the trail is 1.1 kilometers.

BLACK TURTLE COVE

Black Turtle Cove gets its name from the abundance of green sea turtles, locally known as: "tortugas negras" on account of their grey tinge. There is no landing here so you will be doing a boat tour by panga, exploring shallow channels and small coves surrounded by beautiful mangrove forests. Reef sharks, sea turtles and several species rays inhabit this beautiful area which is considered an important mating area for turtles and a nursery for several species of sharks. Herons, pelicans and boobies are also common here as they prey in schools of anchovies.

From here, you will be transported to Baltra airport.

When you arrive at the airport on Baltra Island, check through and your naturalist guide will be waiting for you.

BACHAS BEACH

Bachas gets its name from the remains of two large barges (mispronounced by locals as "bachas") left by the Americans during WWII. At low tide you can still see the iron skeletons of the barges buried in the white sand. From November till May, this place is also one of the most important sea turtle nesting grounds in the entire Galapagos islands. There are also several small saltwater lagoons back from the beach where we often see flamingos, herons and other aquatic birds.

Close to the water's edge, rocky areas provide a great opportunity to take photographs of Sally Lightfoot Crabs.

Snorkel: After the walk, you will have the option to swim or snorkel from the beach. The area is rich in some of the most common fish species of the Galapagos, but you can also find white-tipped reef sharks and rays.

SULLIVAN BAY

This hike is a journey into understanding the birth of these volcanic islands. You will walk in a very well preserved flow of Pahoehoe lava, which will give you endless opportunities to see the delicate textures of these type of lavas which only appear in a few places throughout the world. At first sight the barren landscape looks completely deprived of life, but look carefully for pioneer plants, lava lizards and small birds. By the shore, you can find penguins, pelicans and oystercatchers.

Snorkel: You will have the option to swim or snorkel from a coral sand beach or from the dinghies. Getting underwater is like traveling to another world: if the land is almost lifeless, the sea is teaming with life, including large schools of fish and possibly Galapagos penguins, reef sharks, turtles and rays.

BARTOLOME ISLAND

Bartolome is one of the most iconic places in the Galapagos and one of the few where you can see penguins without going to the remote areas of western Isabela and Fernandina. You will get great views of Pinnacle Rock, located in the northern side of the island, right next to a beautiful peach-colour sand beach.

The hike to the top of the island is fantastic and will offer you incredible views of lunar landscapes with scattered volcanic cones. Many islands are visible from this outlook, as well as the bay of Sullivan and the Pinnacle rock.

Snorkel: You will have the option to swim or snorkel from the beach. This area holds a well-deserved reputation of being one of the best snorkeling places in the Galapagos, not only because it's clear and calm water, but also because of the presence of penguins, which are relatively easy to find while snorkeling, along with an incredible diversity of fish, colorful invertebrates, sea lions, turtles, rays and reef sharks.

AM: SANTA CRUZ HIGHLANDS

A bus will take you to the highlands stopping along the way at one of the reserves to visit the lush highland forests where you will look for Galapagos Giant tortoises in their natural environment. This is the best place in the Galapagos to see these gentle giants (reaching over 300 kg / 600 pounds!) casually grazing and resting in freshwater ponds. This is also home for a great diversity of birds rarely found at the lowlands, including finches (tree, woodpecker and vegetarian finches), flycatchers and several species of water birds. You will visit a lava tunnel (depend on the itinerary) and learn how these extraordinary formations where created by ancient volcanic eruptions.

PM: CHARLES DARWIN STATION

The Charles Darwin Station is a non-profit organization which has been working for decades together with the Galapagos National Park to preserve the biodiversity of these unique islands. During this visit you will learn about the projects that both institutions carry together to protect the native species and eradicate the invasive ones which are threatening the Galapagos environment. One of the most important and emblematic projects has been reproducing giant tortoises in captivity. The visit is mostly outdoors in a beautiful dry native forest with giant cactus and many other interesting native plants. It is also a fantastic place to find several endemic Darwin finches, as well as flycatchers and mockingbirds.

AM: PUNTA CORMORANT

Punta Cormorant is located in the north of Floreana and is known for its large coastal lagoon with American flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, black-necked stilts and other shorebirds. There is a beautiful white sand beach which is an important nesting ground for green sea turtles where we can also see rays and reef sharks. In the last years, a small groups of blue footed boobies have started to breed right by the trail. This is also a great trail to look at endemic plants.

Snorkel: It will be done at Devil's Crown, a heavily eroded little volcano right by Floreana island. This can be one of the Galapagos's best snorkel sites as the current funnels plankton through the Crown, attracting schools of snapper, Creole fish parrot fish, angelfish, reef sharks, sea turtles, rays and a large amount of marine life.    

PM: POST OFFICE BAY

Floreana is famous for the tales of German settlers and the baroness during the late 1920's and 30 's. Assassinations, disappearances and other unsolved mysteries are the ingredients of this fascinating story.
Post Office Bay was often used by whalers to anchor their ships and go up to the highlands to get freshwater and tortoises. Most boats visiting the Galapagos had to came to this place sooner or later, so a system of mail was established more than 200 years ago: a barrel near the beach became the way to leave messages to other ships and also to the outside world. This mail system is still in use and will allow you to send postcards from the Galapagos to the outside world.

Aside from a small beautiful beach and a lava tunnel, the area is great for dinghy tours to look for sea lions, green sea turtles, shorebirds, small sharks and, with some luck, Galapagos penguins.

Snorkel: There is easy swimming from the beach and pepending upon visibility, you can hope to see sea turtles and rays here.   
 

AM: SUAREZ POINT

From the moment you set foot onto Española, the amount and diversity of fauna is truly amazing. Sea lions and marine iguanas will be the first to welcome you, followed by large colonies of sea birds, including Nazca and Blue-footed boobies, gulls and tropicbirds. At the end of the trail we will visit a colony of waved albatross (April to January), the largest seabird in the islands and one of the most interesting because of its powerful flight and elaborate courtship. Waved albatrosses only nest at Española, so this is the place to see them at close range.

Even out of the albatross season, Española is a thoroughly worthwhile part of the archipelago to visit.

PM: GARDNER BAY

Gardner beach is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and interesting beaches to visit in the Galapagos. Its fine coral sand and turquoise water give it a totally tropical appearance, which contrasts with the presence of sea lions basking in the beach. You will have the opportunity to walk along the beach and learn about the biology of sea lions and other endemic species, such as the Española mockingbird, marine iguanas and Galapagos hawks.

Snorkel: There are several great snorkeling places at Gardner bay. It is a good site to hope to encounters sea lions underwater, as well as reef sharks, rays and many species of fish, including; Angelfish, Parrotfish, Damselfish & Surgeonfish.   
 

INTERPRETATION CENTRE

The Interpretation Centre is situated just outside of the town, at the beginning of a series of trails which lead up to Frigate Hill. There is lots of wonderful native vegetation to enjoy here.

The centre itself is a well-laid out museum which includes a topographical model showing the Galapagos above and below the sea surface, plus a history of people, the geology and species on the archipelago. 

From the Centre, you will be driven to San Cristobal airport.